A review of integrated surface-subsurface numerical hydrological models

Hydrological modeling,leveraging mathematical formulations to represent the hydrological cycle,is a pivotal tool in representing the spatiotemporal dynamics and distribution patterns inherent in hydrology.These models serve a dual purpose:they validate theoretical robustness and applicability via observational data and project future trends,thereby bridging the understanding and prediction of natural processes.In rapid advancements in computational methodologies and the continuous evolution of observational and experimental techniques,the development of numerical hydrological models based on physicallybased surface-subsurface process coupling have accelerated.Anchored in micro-scale conservation principles and physical equations,these models employ numerical techniques to integrate surface and subsurface hydrodynamics,thus replicating the macro-scale hydrological responses of watersheds.Numerical hydrological models have emerged as a leading and predominant trend in hydrological modeling due to their explicit representation of physical processes,heightened by their spatiotemporal resolution and reliance on interdisciplinary integration.This article focuses on the theoretical foundation of surface-subsurface numerical hydrological models.It includes a comparative and analytical discussion of leading numerical hydrological models,encompassing model architecture,numerical solution strategies,spatial representation,and coupling algorithms.Additionally,this paper contrasts these models with traditional hydrological models,thereby delineating the relative merits,drawbacks,and future directions of numerical hydrological modeling.

A physically-based integrated numerical model for flow,upland erosion,and contaminant transport in surface-subsurface systems

This paper presents a physically-based integrated hydrologic model that can simulate the rain-fall-induced 2D surface water flow, 3D variably saturated subsurface flow, upland soil erosion and transport, and contaminant transport in the surface-subsurface system of a watershed. The model couples surface and subsurface flows based on the assumption of continuity conditions of pressure head and exchange flux at the ground, considering infiltration and evapotranspiration. The upland rill/interrill soil erosion and transport are simulated using a non-equilibrium transport model. Contaminant transport in the integrated surface and subsurface domains is simulated using advection-diffusion equations with mass changes due to sediment sorption and desorption and exchanges between two domains due to infiltration, diffusion, and bed change. The model requires no special treatments at the interface of upland areas and streams and is suitable for wetland areas and agricultural watersheds with shallow streams.